gotta say i dont agree, we need consistency on the pg position and i know kyrie is going to be a deadly pg in time.
so unless bayless starts showing some sort of consistency like he did today then a fresh pg to run with the young gunz is what we need.

Yes, which means its only a matter of time until Bayless takes over. I like his fire. He always looks pissed - kinda like Ed Davis (the kid never smiles). We need intense players like them. On the other front, Jack is stinking up NO. They've been sliding since he got there!!!

PS> Oh, yeah, my take is to draft the best available players or draft up or down depending on need.

ďThe saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.Ē - Martin Luther King

At the very top end, if there's a clear BPA, you always go with that. If a number of players are equal in the organization's mind, then obviously positional need becomes a tie-breaker. As you get lower in the draft, organizational fit becomes more important. What would be the benefit to drafting a PF who has less upside than Davis (even if he's the BPA for a draft slot)? Where would such a player get minutes? I do believe this team needs a SF more than a PG, but an elite PG/SG/SF would help this team out enormously. (Weak draft for SGs though).

I see there being one group of great players (Jones, Jones, Barnes, Irving and Knight) that the Raptors would definitely take if any are available. Then there's a second group with guys like Honeycutt, Hamilton, Singler, Harris, Walker, Wayns, Nogueira and Valunciunas. A good draft for the Raptors would be one guy from the first group and one from the second. But trading up to get one guy from the first list is better than settling for two from the second.

I have been semi interested in Enes Kanter lately. This team seems to need a legit center and he is ranked 1st overall for C's in the draft. I think he could be a very good pick up if his knees arnt a liability. He is a huge guy, skilled in the post, very young and still growing. His draft summary says he is a very hard worker too. Could be a great matchup with Bargs down the road. The good thing is with our possition in the draft we could get Kanter and draft a PG like Kemba Walker(for a backup PG) with miamis pick and adress two needs with solid picks. I do like Irving but i dont see the raptors grabbing a top 3 pick and thhese picks seem more realistic at this point.

Yes, which means its only a matter of time until Bayless takes over. I like his fire. He always looks pissed - kinda like Ed Davis (the kid never smiles). We need intense players like them. On the other front, Jack is stinking up NO. They've been sliding since he got there!!!

PS> Oh, yeah, my take is to draft the best available players or draft up or down depending on need.

I meant he's playing like Jose a couple years ago which got him the contract. In his 7 starts he's averaging just under 9 assists a game, just under 2 turnovers and shooting over 50% from both 3 and 2. I'd he he improved his defense too from last season.

pesterm1 wrote:

I have been semi interested in Enes Kanter lately. This team seems to need a legit center and he is ranked 1st overall for C's in the draft. I think he could be a very good pick up if his knees arnt a liability. He is a huge guy, skilled in the post, very young and still growing. His draft summary says he is a very hard worker too. Could be a great matchup with Bargs down the road. The good thing is with our possition in the draft we could get Kanter and draft a PG like Kemba Walker(for a backup PG) with miamis pick and adress two needs with solid picks. I do like Irving but i dont see the raptors grabbing a top 3 pick and thhese picks seem more realistic at this point.

I think even though Jose is playing well, it benefits the raptors. Say we dont make the playoffs and we get a good draft pick, we could draft an elite PG like Irving and use Jose as a trade bait to hopefully pick up a Center. I was looking at Gortat as a possible solid Center. What do you guys think???

Josh Smith?

I think Josh Smith would be an excellent addition to our team .... Atlanta might be looking to save some money (depending on how their season is going) and with our expiring contracts and TPE .... we might be in a good position make a deal ... That being said ... If we can somehow obtain another first round draft pick ... That would give us 3 first rounders ... and hopefully we could use those picks to trade up and get a player like Irving ....

Sonny can go back to the two ... Derozan has not really impressed me .... but because his "potential" is so high ... other GMs might give up something pretty good for him ... I wouldnt trade Demar for the sake of trading him but only if we could get back something interesting ... Im not sold on Demar being a starter in this league ...

Kyrie Irving has franchise potential. The guy can score, run and offense, and lock down defend opposing teams PG. If the Raps have any chance to take him - get him.

Barnes is looking dreadful- luckily for him it is early. Terrence Jones is looking promising. Not only is he putting up nearly 20 a game, but he also blocks (2.3) and steals (1.4). The Raptors need a two way wing player.

These are all very high draft picks though. I don't think the Raps get one of these players without a trade or luck.

Kanter would be a great mid-late pick up but he won't be around. Too many teams need bigs to pass him up.

If the Raps gets Josh Smith - where does Davis play? He'd be given up in any trade. Personally, I'd like to see Davis develop with this group.

There is no way ORL ever takes on Calderon or gives up Gortat for that matter. Howard can be on the bench with foul trouble any given game.

We basically need an upgrade on all positions, except maybe PF (Amir and Ed depending on how they develop) and starting C (Bargs). Everyone else is not good enough to be starters so I guess that would be PG, SG, SF. Take your pick, I'd go with the best available in those positions.

BTW by upgrade I don't just mean offensively. We most definitely need shooters who can also defend, not just one or the other.

We need a 3rd point guard and a replacement for Peja. The rest of the team needs a chance to gell, and get better.

Edit: It's too bad we couldn't get Barnes, he's exactly what this team is missing.

edit2: The Raptors should throw the kitchen sink at Chandler in the off-season, since he's a restricted free-agent.

I'm not sure if Barnes is not living up to his hype or if he is not living up to abilities. Either way, the jury is still out.

With regards to Chandler, I am always suspect of a 28 year old with a number of injuries in recent years in a CONTRACT year becoming the player everyone always thought he'd be, again. Also, Cuban has a history of paying for centres - and paying a lot. Now that one is actually earning that pay cheque and he is so highly thought of in DAL, there is no way he leaves DAL if Cuban wants to keep him. CHampionship contending team, play with Dirk, warm weather, no state income tax, Bird rights, an owner who spares no expense - I don't think TOR or any other NBA team has a chance.

This draft is loaded with guards and Small Forwards, I think it would be a mistake to trade for either using Peja's expiring or the TPE since in all likelyhood we can get a very nice rookie (irrespective of who) at the draft.

P.S. Kanter seems to be the only kegit centre listed at 6'10 +240lbs, he illegibilty for the draft is still unknown after was disqualified to play for Kentucky.

I would say he is a better basketball player but Wall is the better athlete and is faster. Irving seems to be the complete package.

i think you're selling wall's abilities as a basketball player a little short. he's got great point guard instincts, in addition to his physical tools. he's not like westbrook or rose when they came into the league, for example. incidentally, i think wall has the potential to be the best pg of all the young ones flooding the league right now, irving included.